Cruel is a matter of Perspective
by dez-sparrow
Summary: Will Turner is the new Captain of the Flying Dutchman, and is about to arrive at an island where he will spend his last day with Elizabeth for ten years. There is one conversation with Jack, however, that needs to come first. JW


The rain had dyed down significantly after the war between the East India Trading Company and the Brethren Court, and Will wondered if it was just an effect that the world had put upon them to show them that war was never pretty. Not that anyone would think about that any more than necessary. Captain Turner was staring out to sea on the Flying Dutchman as his crew were having exited conversations over how… normal they looked since Will had become the new Davy Jones. He smiled as he thought about it, letting it fade as he remembered Elizabeth… Elizabeth, who he wouldn't see after this day, for ten years. He counted, and that made it about eight more times he'd see her… and that was assuming she'd live to be a hundred. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He loved Elizabeth so much, and now she was as good as Jack's. Will looked around as he heard soft footsteps behind him.

"Cap'n Turner." Jack nodded to him, looking around at the Dutchman, which seemed to look considerably lighter since the Captaincy changed. Will smiled slightly.

"Thankyou, Jack." He whispered, looking down. He was quite grateful that Jack had saved his life, when he could have been the Captain of the Dutchman himself and lived forever. Now that fate was left for Will. He was quite annoyed at the same time as being grateful.

Jack sighed and looked away. "'T was nothing." He muttered and sighed.

"Why did you do it, Jack?" Will said finally, after a few moments of silence, "Why did you save me?" Jack frowned, obviously trying to think of what to say.

"The look on her face…" he began and Will understood. He didn't interrupt. He wanted to hear exactly what Jack had to say. "… Elizabeth… she was so… upset. 'N'… 'n' hurt. I had t' do it, Will. I wasn't going t' keep Elizabeth for myself while she was so upset. Ye make her happy, like not many men could."

"Apart from you." Will said softly.

Jack nodded, "Aye… I think she needs both of us t' survive… The look on her face, Will… I never want t' be seeing that again…" Jack looked up at Will with a pained glint in his eyes. "So try yer best t' keep from getting yerself stabbed in future." He added, smiling slightly as his eyes swept over the long scar near Will's heart, which wasn't there anymore, so Jack reasoned that the scar _wasn't_ in fact, near his heart at all. "Lucky ye happened t' be dead when yer father graciously took yer heart out fer ye. I bet tha' would'a hurt, had ye bin alive." He said, the same soft smile plastered on his face. Will touched his scar lightly. "How does it feel?" Jack found himself asking, not able to hide his curiosity, "Not havin' a heart?"

Will's eyes glinted slightly. "It's odd." He whispered, touching his scar again, letting his fingers graze it lightly, before placing his hand on it. "I can tell I'm not going to feel anything once I don't have my heart with me anymore." He looked down and Jack noticed, for the first time, that the chest was next to him. Will touched the top softly, before drawing away quickly. Jack looked at him oddly.

"I just… I got close and a surge of emotion went up my arm…" Will muttered, slightly annoyed. Jack grimaced slightly.

"Would ye prefer I didn't make ye stab the heart?" he asked, looking away from Will.

"No." Will shook his head, "I, like you, don't want Elizabeth to be upset."

"Do ye trust her with me?" Jack muttered, not really caring about his answer.

"I trust Elizabeth." He said simply.

"Captain?" Will turned as his father came up to them, looking curiously from his face to Jack's. "We're ready to make port." He said. Will looked past him at the small island on which he was going to see Elizabeth for the last time in ten years. He nodded and his father walked away.

"Ye should go an' see yer bonie lass." Jack muttered, but Will shook his head slightly.

"Why did you come?" he asked.

"I thought I needed t'. We had t' sort out what was going t' happen with Elizabeth, didn't we? I love her… I know that ye do as well… It would be cruel not t' figure something out." Jack said, frowning slightly.

"Cruel is a matter of perspective." Will repeated Jack's words and sighed, placing his hands on the railing as they came closer to the island.

"The thing with you, Will…" Jack sighed, putting his hands on the railing, too. "Is that ye don't think anyone could possibly love Elizabeth as much as you do… She's not yer property."

Will shot Jack a glare. "I know that!" he said, "I just… I don't want to leave her…" he looked out at the island, out at the little dot that was Elizabeth, sitting on a large rock.

"Ye have no choice." Jack muttered, following Will's gaze.

"I know…" Will whispered, "I just don't know if I can handle it. I'm trying to make myself believe that I'm worried about how _Elizabeth_ will handle it… but I'm worried about myself. Elizabeth will have you…"

Jack nodded, "Aye… she will. I won't do anything, either!" Jack raised his hands innocently.

Will sighed. "I wouldn't know, even if you did." He whispered, ducking his head down.

"I'm not offerin' fer _you_…" Jack murmered, "I jus' know that Elizabeth will hate herself if anything happened. She doesn't want to hurt ye."

Will took his hands off the railing. "If I'm going to be with her for a decent time before sundown, I should go now." He muttered, looking at Jack. "Thankyou." He said, "For giving me this one last day, at least."

Jack shrugged. "People are always surprised when 'm nice." He said, smiling slightly. Will smiled back. "Go an' see her." Jack said, seriously. Will nodded and walked past Jack to the end of the ship. Just as he was about to leave, he turned around. "Jack?" he yelled to him. Jack looked up curiously.

"Take care of her." Will said.


End file.
